Code Of Honour
by LittleMewLugia
Summary: When Sam intervenes in a situation he feels is unfair, and in doing so saves Barricade’s life, Sam discovers that even some Decepticons have a code of honour.
1. Chapter 1: Sector Seven Rogues

-1Code of Honour.

Summary: When Sam intervenes in a situation he feels is unfair, and in doing so saves Barricade's life, Sam discovers that even some Decepticons have a code of honour.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Transformers belongs to Hasbro and Paramount/DreamWorks. I'm just playing with the characters. I'll put them back when I've finished, honest!

Code of Honour.

Sector Seven Rogues

Sam and Bumblebee only overheard the conversation that started it all by pure accident.

Bumblebee was practicing his covert scouting skills, to keep his mind sharp and his skills honed, and Sam had been delighted to be invited to come and watch. It had proved, however, to be very boring, as Bumblebee explained that even a human whisper could be picked up in certain situations, thus covert work included a lot of staying silent, even if there were no enemies in sight.

Bumblebee was in the process of showing Sam how he could deploy a powerful but virtually undetectable listening device, providing Sam with a tiny wireless earpiece that stuck inside the ear. He quietly told Sam he could use some signals to communicate with him - raise fingertip for record, lower fingertip for stop recording, finger to ear for listen, all fingers spread for signalling danger, plus the human shake or nod of head for yes or no.

Sam was listening when he overheard some students relating some humorous anecdotes and telling dirty jokes. He raised his fingertip, and Bumblebee tolerantly began recording the conversation for his human friend. He began burning the information on to a CD for Sam. As the students began to move away, Bumblebee followed them at a distance.

About twenty minutes later, they moved off the street and headed for a building Sam knew would be out of range. As Bumblebee moved to try and get as much as the conversation as he could, Sam heard a new conversation begin filtering in over the earpiece. He had been about to dip his fingertip to end the recording, but the content of the conversation instead had him bringing his fingertip to his ear: the 'listen' signal.

"……know that one of those monsters is still around, that police car, the one numbered 643. If we can trap it and immobilise it, we can do for it good, even its reinforced armour won't stand up to the heavy-duty crusher our organisation has." one voice said.

"Simmons told us to watch and observe, nothing more." came another voice. "He said there was to be no intervention unless it threatens human life or property."

The first voice spoke again.

"Simmons need never know, he's too busy renaming and burying our organisation even deeper than it was before. We'd be doing this planet a favour. Even if we do get found out, all we have to do is prepare a story that we all learn and stick to, stating that it was threatening a human, who ran off and whom we can't trace."

The voices began to fade and Sam pointed his finger at a right-angle to his palm and pointed it forwards. This was _not_ a prearranged signal but Sam's request was obvious to Bumblebee: he slowly eased forward as silently as possible to keep the men in range: They were in a darkened car somewhere ahead. The second man spoke again.

"Yes, I guess it'll work, but we don't know where it'll be at any one time and we don't have access to the helicopters or ice-guns any more." The first man spoke again, sounding impatient.

"I have considered this. There are other ways to deal with these things than by freezing and roping them down, and I have been observing this thing since I realised it was still hanging around here. It's developed a routine, pretending to patrol the area, and I know _exactly_ where it should be at seven-thirty tonight: down-town by the disused warehouses. If we're down there by seven, we can surprise it and feed it to the crusher before it can recover and escape." As the voices faded totally as the car ahead sped up, Sam put his hand over his mouth, trying to stop himself from barfing.

Barricade was certainly no friend of Sam's, far from it, but as Sam had got to know the Autobots over the last six months, he had also come to realise that, like humans, they could experience fear, loss, grief, and joy. He had also come to learn that sensors in their metal hide and internal systems could register sensations - tickling, pleasure, pain….

Sam fought the urge to gag again, because foe though Barricade was, knowing what he did about the Autobots, and knowing that only ideology and beliefs divided Autobot from Decepticon, the thought of Barricade being fed into a crusher while still alive and conscious evoked the same reaction he would have had if someone suggested doing the same thing to Trent. He didn't have to _like _someone to feel revulsion at certain possible scenarios involving them.

"'Bee, did we really just hear that?" Sam asked, bringing his finger down, signalling to end the recording.

"Yes, but as horrible as it is, Sam, it would be too dangerous for us to intervene." Bumblebee said. "If we're spotted, what's to stop them deciding to put _me_ in after Barricade, and ensure you have an 'accident' or just go missing for good?" Bumblebee asked. "That's assuming that they'll succeed in their plan, which is by no means sure, Barricade's a tough 'Con, he can probably look after himself, and if we're there, and they underestimate him and he kills them, he'll get rid of _us_ because he won't want any witnesses, and we're his enemies. I'm sorry Sam, horrible although their plan is, it would be too dangerous for us to intervene. It would put you in danger, and as your guardian, I cannot allow that to happen. Barricade will have to deal with this himself."

"Okay, 'Bee, I understand." Sam said. Bumblebee was relieved that Sam saw his point, and hadn't even argued about it. He would have been a lot more concerned if he knew that Sam had decided that if Bumblebee wasn't going to help him, he'd have to do it himself. He understood Bumblebee's reluctance to risk confronting either Barricade, or the (obviously rogue) S-7 agents after his experience at the Hoover Dam, but Sam knew that their plan was just wrong, and if there was anything he could do to at least give Barricade a fighting chance, he would. Although the thought of another encounter with the fierce 'Con scared the shit out of Sam, he could not stand by with the knowledge he had and do nothing.

He would have to take a risk tonight, and try to warn Barricade.

At six, after lunch, Sam slipped out over his back fence, to avoid Bumblebee noticing his departure. He had with him the CD Bumblebee had made, plus a portable CD player and some speakers: although Sam had a feeling that Barricade could probably decipher the CD media himself, it made sense to be certain.

Sam headed for the area he was sure the S-7 agents had mentioned-the area where he had first encountered Barricade when Bumblebee was trying to protect him. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw a strangely dull-coloured, wheeled car crusher and a portable magnetic clamp vehicle both hidden around shadowed corners. Shadowy figures sat in the cabs, and Sam was thankful he was wearing dark coloured clothing as he slipped around, himself using the shadows as cover.

He crept further down the main street - it was now ten to seven, it had taken him a good fifty minutes to walk to here from his parent's place - and then he saw the Saleen. Barricade had become complacent, Sam realised, had fallen into a routine, which made it vulnerable, which is why he was here now, risking his life.

He double-checked, using the number to confirm it - yes, it was number 643, which meant it was either Barricade, or the car Barricade had copied - and stealthily, not wishing to startle Barricade, he approached.

Bumblebee, unbeknownst to Sam, had been thinking over the conversation in his processors. As he did, he came to a realisation that, unless he deliberately disobeyed Optimus' orders to protect humans from Decepticon activity, he would have to intervene. The S-7 men, rogue although they were, still counted. Although the thought of facing anyone from S-7 made Bumblebee nervous, he had to act, he had to go there and try to stop them, or at least protect them from Barricade's wrath.

However, that did not mean he had to involve Sam.

Quietly engaging his engine, he slipped out of the Witwicky drive, and then headed off down the road, only just observing the speed limit. He had to hurry….

Sam almost got within ten feet of Barricade when the Saleen suddenly drove at him, knocking him down and growling at him. Although still in car form, this was only a slightly less scary situation than being on his back in front of Barricade in robot form.

"Here without your Autobot guardian, fleshling?" Barricade said in a low but still fierce voice. "Not a very clever thing to do, what's to stop me from squashing you like the insect you are?"

"I came looking for you, I knew it was risky, but I have information you should know." Sam said.

"Then speak, fleshling." sad Barricade. "If the information you bear is of use, I may permit you to live this time."

"Sector-7 are here, they know you're here, they've got a heavy duty crusher and a grab, and they want to immobilise and then crush you." Sam said. "If you don't believe me, scan the vehicles at the corners of the road." Sam said. "Then get the heck away and vary your route every week or they'll work out where you go again!"

Barricade did scan, but before he could say anything, voices across the road were raised.

"There it is! Get it!"

Sam saw the magnetic grab, the crusher, and men with what looked like two of the freezing guns start moving towards them. The road lit up, and Sam saw there were other vehicles moving into place, both in front of and behind Barricade.

_Shit! _Barricade was boxed in!

Barricade backed off a little, so Sam could scramble to his feet. The Saleen's front passenger seat opened.

"Get in, fleshling, or suffer the consequences." Barricade commanded. Sam, seeing few other options open to him at the time, did as he was told. Barricade lit up the inside of his cab so that the approaching men could see Sam inside, and then raised his voice.

"I have one of your own kind in here, fleshling weaklings. It is a non-combatant and by your standards, a child. If you attack me, I will be forced to transform. The consequences for the child could be painful, messy, and _will_ be lethal."

"You've just given us the excuse we need, NBE whatever number you've been given. If there is a civilian casualty, we'll be hailed as heroes for getting rid of you. Civilian casualties are regrettable but, hey, this is war!"

Sam noticed that Barricade had a CD player in car form. He took a chance, getting out the CD, and pushing it in the slot. "Their entire

conversation is on there. See if you can use it to your advantage." he said in a low voice.

"The door is not locked. Wait three seconds and then get out." Barricade replied in an equally low voice.

Surprised, Sam did as he was told as the Saleen first reversed, and then speeded towards the S-7 men. Sam realised Barricade was giving him a chance to escape, maybe hoping that by sparing Sam the S-7 men would spare _him_, but Sam knew that nothing Barricade would do or say would stop them from trying to kill him, and Sam, as a witness, would still be in danger himself from them. Sam ran out between Barricade and the S-7 men: Barricade only just managed to avoid hitting Sam, and Sam was glad that Barricade's brakes were so good.

"Stop this, he may be a Decepticon, but this is wrong!" Sam said.

"Out of the way, kid." said one of the men. "We're gonna do this whether you help us or hinder us. You're expendable."

"You would destroy one of your own younglings, merely to try to destroy me?" asked Barricade, and Sam could hear-was that _disbelief?- _in Barricade's voice. "Even few Decepticons would sacrifice a youngling to destroy an enemy!"

"In matters of national security like you, freak, yes we would. We do what we have to, that's war. We are _not _Decepticons!" Although Barricade did not flinch, Sam himself did.

"National security, my arse!" He yelled. "You're not even acting on Simmon's orders! This isn't _justice_, it's a personal _vendetta_! It's wrong! You're right that you're not Decepticons, but if they revere children more than you, then that makes you _worse_ than the Decepticons, and I never thought I'd _ever_ accuse a human of that!" Sam cried.

"Why would you care, kid, you're no friend of the Decepticons, he threatened to _kill _you just now, that's all the excuse we need. The only good Decepticon is a _dead_ one, so why should _you_ care?"

"Because this-is-_wrong_." Sam said again. Then he heard a familiar sound behind him and scrambled forward: he had heard _that _particular noise often enough by now to know _exactly_ what was happening: he had no desire to be accidentally crushed as Barricade responded to the threat by transforming.

A shadow fell over Sam as Barricade straightened up into his full sixteen foot and two inches of menacing alien robot. Barricade took two steps forward-an action that put him between Sam and the S-7 men. As if it were a cue, the two men on the ground turned on their ice guns, and Barricade flailed in confusion.

"_No!" _Sam cried, dashing between Barricade's legs and knocking over one of the men with the ice guns. As he did, the other man's gun sputtered and stopped.

"Shit! I thought these guns from the dump would have a bit more in them than that!"

'_They're almost empty!' _Sam realised and changed his tactics: instead of trying to wrest the gun from the man's grasp, he tried to hold it up and away.

His attention was drawn by a clang: the disorientated and cold Barricade had been picked up by the magnetic clamp. As dazed as he was, Sam wasn't sure if Barricade was aware of where the _real_ threat was: the dull and oddly innocuous looking crusher that was now approaching.

Sam pointed at it, ignoring the man he was grappling with. "Barricade! The crusher! Destroy it! Without it they can't kill you unless they have Sabot rounds!"

"Shut it, kid!" said his opponent, trying to pin him to the ground, but Sam was too fast and wriggled away.

Barricade looked at where Sam was pointing, and there was a blur as he used his long-range bladed weapon to shred the crusher as the drivers scrambled out and fled. Then Barricade used it against the magnetic clamp holding him: as it was turned into twisted metal, it lost its grip and dropped Barricade.

The last ice gun sputtered and stopped, as Barricade dropped down between Sam and the S-7 men. As he stooped, reaching out a clawed hand towards a car, the S-7 men fled. The men in cars that could fled immediately, with men pursuing them and some only just getting in: those that could not get in a car fled on foot. As the engine sound died away, Sam realised that the rest of the street was deserted: the street was empty of all but one human, and one Decepticon in robot form.

Barricade took two steps away from Sam, then turned one hundred and eighty degrees, and took a step back towards Sam. Sam tensed, as Barricade bent down in front of him, bringing down a hand as he did.

Bumblebee burned rubber as he headed towards the location the S-7 men had spoken of, hoping he was not too late, especially as, having phoned Sam's parents to make sure Sam was still at home, they had informed him that Sam had slipped out an hour earlier.

He dreaded what he would find, especially if Sam, unprotected by his guardian, was in the vicinity of an extremely pissed-off Barricade.

This fear was reinforced when some erratically-driven S-7 vehicles -scanning and detecting the technical equipment in them confirmed that they were S-7 vehicles - passed him, their drivers panicking. He had seen panic in Mission City: although humans in this state tended to hurt themselves or others in this state, there was usually a good reason for the panic. He abandoned the speed limit, and turned the corner by the warehouse with a screech of tires. What he saw before him made him begin transforming on the spot.

Two S-7 vehicles were shredded, destroyed, by Barricade's ranged weapon. Barricade was in robot form, crouched in front of Sam, who looked small and vulnerable and was _way_ too close to Barricade for Bumblebee's liking, half-standing, half-crouching. Barricade was also crouching, on both back legs and using one arm and hand to support himself in the crouch.

The other hand was drawn back, ready, it seemed, to be brought forward in a vicious slap, slash, or grab. If Barricade were to do so, Sam would be right in it's path, and Bumblebee knew, even as he transformed, that there was no way he could get to Sam in time.


	2. Chapter 2: Barricade

-1Code Of Honour

Chapter Two

Barricade.

Sam tensed as one Barricade's powerful hands hit the road, flat and palm-down, in front of him, making the ground he stood on shake and cracking the asphalt of the road.

Barricade brought his fierce pointed face down close to Sam's, so close that, if he'd he wanted to (which he did not) he could have reached out a hand and touched the Decepticon's cheek. Sam recalled Bumblebee telling him that this Barricade had hydraulic joints that made for a steady and crushing grip. Sam swallowed, trying not to think of how close one of those hands was to his fragile muscles and bones.

Sam saw movement at Barricade's neck: the CD he had given him earlier was ejected from a slot, and

Barricade carefully took it between two clawed finger-ends, of the hand not supporting him. He reached it out towards Sam, who reflexively put his hand out. Barricade managed, with a surprising delicacy, to place the CD back into Sam's hand, then relaxing the digits holding the CD and pulling the hand back.

"Why did you come to warn me? Why did you help me when we are enemies?" he asked, with genuine puzzlement in his voice.

"Because what they were doing was just wrong. Knowing it was wrong, and knowing I could at least try to even up the odds for you, I couldn't do nothing. You had done nothing wrong, their reaction was not needed, and to sneak attack you like that when you hadn't done anything seemed unfair." Sam explained.

"Sam, Decepticons don't fight far either, you should know that." Bumblebee spoke up. Sam's guardian was tensed, ready, but had not yet moved.

"So, for all your supposed nobility, the Autobots would let fleshlings do their dirty work for them?" mocked Barricade.

"No, that _wasn't_ what I meant, I-" Bumblebee began, but Barricade cut him off with a sharp hand gesture, a glare, and a verbal warning.

"Silence your vocal processor, Autobot, lest I rip it from your body. Your charge, and the action he took, is the only thing stopping me from ridding this planet of both _your_ presence _and_ his. This matter is between your fleshling and myself, and if you now what is good for _both_ of you, you will _not_ interfere again." as Barricade looked back down at Sam again, Bumblebee, recalling what a precarious position Sam was in, kept his vocal processor silent as Barricade had ordered, but quietly edged closer. Maybe if Barricade was in a talking mood, Bumblebee could get close enough to Sam to snatch him to safety should the occasion arise.

"Despite the circumstances, and our hostile status to each other, you took this action because you felt you had to-to be honourable?" Barricade asked Sam. Sam gulped, and nodded, then realised that the Decepticon may not understand the human gesture, and said "Yes. Guess it seems a pretty stupid reason to you."

Barricade sighed, and his optics briefly shuttered.

"Before the war, before all of this started, I swore an oath, an oath so solemn and so binding to me that even I, as a sworn enemy of you and your allies, must keep, no matter what the circumstances. I swore that if ever a debt of honour - particularly a life-debt - was ever laid upon me, I would repay it, however long it took. I cannot explain it in words you would understand, fleshling, the oath would not translate into your simple language, all you need understand is that it is something I must hold to. To me, it is unbreakable.

Barricade inclined his head in Sam's direction so that it was almost touching Sam's own. The Decepticon spoke again.

"Samuel James Witwicky, as of this moment, I am sworn to protect and defend you, until the debt you have laid upon me is repaid in full."


	3. Chapter 3: The Code of Cybertron

\/p>

-1Code of Honour.

Chapter Three.

The Code Of Cybertron.

Of all the things that Sam and Bumblebee might have thought Barricade was going to say, a pledge to protect Sam was _not_ one of them.

Barricade's reactions were swift: his hand darted out as Sam's mouth dropped open and his knees gave way in disbelief. Sam felt that hand catch him before he could graze his knees or end up sprawling on the asphalt.

"Let him go, Barricade, _I'm_ Sam's guardian!" Bumblebee challenged him, flexing his fingers, although with Sam lying in Barricade's palm, there was nothing Bumblebee could have done to make Barricade release Sam without a risk of accidentally harming Sam in the process. Bumblebee realised with irritation that Barricade knew that. He didn't even flinch, just raised his burning red optics to meet Bumblebee's equally fiercely-glowing blue ones.

"You would ask me to break the most solemn oath a Cybertronian could take, Autobot?" Barricade said quietly, almost gently. He said something else to Bumblebee in what must have been Cybertronian. Sam may not have understood what Barricade said to Bumblebee, but the sudden shuttering and then wide-opening of Bumblebee's optics, and the jerk back of his head, told Sam that Barricade had said something to Bumblebee that had engendered a reaction comprised of shock and disbelief.

"You-_you_ swore by _that_?" Bumblebee said, his voice conveying surprise and what sounded to Sam like a grudging respect.

"Yes, Autobot, I did." Barricade told him.

"Then, as uncomfortable as the situation makes me, Sam and I will have to put up with it." Bumblebee said.

"Hey, wait, wait, hey wait a minute!" Sam said. Nervously, he looked at the hand holding him, the tips wickedly curved into vicious and sharp-looking claws. When Barricade had first encountered Sam, had chased him and picked him up, throwing him hard on his back against the windscreen of a car, he had felt the tips of those claws prick him through his T-shirt. Those same claws, however, were now carefully held away from his sensitive skin, the hand holding him supporting him, not restraining or crushing him. He could feel the difference, but Sam was still frightened that the situation could change, that the hand could, if Sam or Bumblebee made a wrong move or said the wrong thing, clench to crush him, or the claws be used to rend and destroy his fragile organic form.

"Bee, you _believe_ him?" he asked. Then Sam realised that his words could be taken by Barricade as an accusation. "Uhhh, not that I doubt you, Barricade, but just a moment ago you both seemed ready to rip out each other's circuits, then you mention whatever that oath was that you mentioned, and Bumblebee believes you without any further questions. I was just wondering why, honest!" Sam held his breath and tensed, hoping that his runaway mouth hadn't just precipitated the very reaction he feared. Barricade made an odd sound that Sam realised a moment later was an amused chuckle. Barricade looked down at Sam, and then back up to Bumblebee.

"Perhaps you can explain to him, Autobot, you know him better than I, why you trust my word regarding this oath." Barricade said. He seemed amused, as far as Sam could tell from the tone of voice and the facial expression the black-and-white Decepticon holding him wore.

"Sam, I have never known a Cybertronian who would take that oath and then break it. Even Megatron, who by Autobot standards was not honourable, may have kept that oath had he ever sworn it, I could not say for certain that he wouldn't, that's how important that sort of thing is." He sighed.

"I'm not explaining this very well, let me try again. As Barricade stated earlier, there is no Earth-language equivalent, but for simplicity, let's call it the Code of Cybertron." Bumblebee said.

"The Code of Cybertron. Ok." Sam said. "So-what's so special about it?"

"It is a very special vow, it is - well, religious isn't quite the right word, but it's the nearest explanation I can think of. Its origin is very early on in our history, long before there were Autobots and Decepticons, or any factions at all, when our people were still learning and evolving and living in harmony. The reasons behind it are not affected by faction. If a Decepticon has made a promise or declaration based on that vow, I would believe him in the same way I would believe if it were an Autobot who had taken it." Bumblebee sighed again, shifting his feet, then looking at Sam in earnest.

"Sam, the individuals in the Decepticon ranks are not unlike those of us in the Autobot ranks. There is an element of honour in both sides, often varying greatly from individual to individual. It is difficult to believe that anyone would rise to a warrior status such as Barricade has, without that individual having some code of honour or conduct that they would live by. Even in your own armed forces, discipline is a byword, and _any_ code must have an element of discipline to be effective. I know you might find it difficult to accept, but every Decepticon will have some level of personal standard of honour that they will live by, even though it may not seem so to you or I."

"Watch your next words very carefully, Autobot, lest you slur the honour of I or my fellow Decepticons. I have sworn to not harm and to protect your fleshling here, but I have made no such promise to not harm _you_." Barricade said.

"You told me to explain in a way that he would understand, Barricade, and some aspects of the human concept of honour are very different from the Cybertronian one." Bumblebee said. Barricade inclined his head to acknowledge the point.

"Continue, but be _very_ careful with your phrasing." Barricade told him. Bumblebee turned his gaze back to Sam, who had tensed at Barricade's threat.

"Let's suffice it to say, Sam, that I believe Barricade to be completely sincere when he swears to protect you. Such an oath goes both ways: as he must keep it, I must permit him to, or my _own_ honour would be seen to be at fault if I were to deny him." He looked up, then back down at his human charge, still held steady in the hand of the Decepticon.

"Sam, as a result, I would sooner remove my own vocal processor right here and now with my own hand, then force Barricade to break an oath sworn on the Code of Cybertron. As a consequence, he and I will have to try to put up with each other."

"It will certainly be an interesting situation, if frustrating at times to both of us." Barricade intoned solemnly, although Sam was sure as he looked up, that the corners of the Decepticon's mouth turned up slightly as he said it.

Sam realised he was still half-sitting, half-lying in Barricade's hand. He supposed that robots wouldn't get tired of holding one position for a while, but his back was aching. He shifted his weight, slipping out of Barricade's hand: the Decepticon did not resist or object, and removed the hand once Sam was stood on his own two feet.

"Sam, Barricade, we should leave this place, in case those rogue humans come back and try to eliminate _all_ of us, Sam included, with official sanctioning and the necessary equipment required." Bumblebee pointed out. "_Somebody_ will have noticed the commotion, and you and I, Barricade, could be considered a threat. Sam and I are going back to the home of his parental units, where he lives. I do not know where _you_ plan to go, Barricade, but I would suggest that you transform and go there before they formally return with backup."

"It is now my sworn duty to protect your squishy. I go where he goes." Barricade said.

"Uhhh, Barricade, just thought I should point out a couple of things." Sam said. "I'm not a 'fleshling' and I'm not a 'squishy', either, if you don't mind. Our race-name is 'human' just as you and Bumblebee's is 'Cybertronian', okay?" Sam said.

"Human. Okay." Barricade said. "If it makes you more comfortable."

"Believe me, it does." said Sam, relieved that Barricade had not taken offence, but both derogatory terms for humans had made Sam shudder, and he had felt the need to mention it.

"However, that does not change the fact that _I_ go where _you_ go." Barricade said. "How do I protect you if I cannot stay by you? There is room on that drive for us _both_." Barricade stated.

"No, Barricade, Sam's father has a car he parks in the garage: he needs that space next to me on the drive to get out. You cannot park there, you must find somewhere else close by." Bumblebee said. Sam's head was beginning to ache, and he let out an involuntary groan. Immediately, two pairs of optics, one red and one blue, turned to regard him with concern.

"Sam?" both voices spoke at once.

"Look, you two, can you sort this out - non-violently, _please_! - when we get home?" Sam said pleadingly. "My head hurts!"

Normally, Sam would not have spoken so sharply to Bumblebee, and certainly would have thought twice before about addressing _Barricade_ in this way, and at first Sam began to worry that he'd offended them _both_. However, the two extraterrestrial robots looked at each other, blue optics meeting red, and then Barricade shrugged his shoulder-wings as Bumblebee lifted his hands and dropped them again. Without a word, the two both folded obligingly down into their car forms. The driver's doors of both the Camaro and the Saleen both opened at the same time. Sam put his palm to his forehead.

"No offence, Barricade, but I'm going home in Bumblebee. For a start, if a _real _policeman sees me sitting in your driver's seat, he'll haul my ass into jail for stealing a police car so fast he'll leave scorch marks on the pavement. For another thing, I'm not used to this, I need time to adapt, and to be truthful, I'm more comfortable in Bee. No offence."

"Ass?" queried Barricade. "A four-footed equine also known as a donkey? You own one?"

Sam could not help but laugh.

"No, Barricade, it's slang for "bottom." he said, pointing to his own for clarification. 

"He means his aft, Barricade." said Bumblebee, amusement colouring his tone.

"Then why didn't he just _say_ so?" asked Barricade. "Why don't fleshl - that is, _humans_ - say what they mean?"

"I _did_, didn't I?" Sam said. "I guess slang's a bit confusing if you're not used to it." 

"Anyway, you could ride in the front passenger seat next to my holoform, so you don't get arrested." Barricade suggested, closing the driver's door, activating his holoform, and popping open the front passenger door.

"No, _no, __**no**_!" Sam said. Barricade looked at Sam in confusion: his scans showed that the human was genuinely agitated for some reason, pulling at his hair, and his eyes were wide.

"Look, Barricade, when humans of my age are driven home by the law, it usually means they're in _trouble_! Fact is, if my parents see me being driven home by you, they'll ground me for about a _year _without even asking what I've done! Thanks for the kind offer, Barricade, but under the circumstances, for the sake of my social life and my privileges, I'll ride home in 'Bee." 

Sam slid into Bumblebee's driver's seat before Barricade could suggest sitting in the back-which would be _just_ as bad. Bumblebee smoothly started up and drove out of the road, with Barricade following just behind.

Barricade said nothing more on the way home, but as Bumblebee turned into his usual spot on the Witwicky drive under Sam's bedroom window, Barricade kept going.

"He said he's going to patrol the area to be sure there is no threats to any of us, and then find somewhere to park up." Bumblebee told Sam. 

Sam sighed in relief: it seemed Barricade had seen sense and would merely park nearby, probably within yelling distance, which would suit Sam just fine.

Sam went upstairs after doing his chores and briefly greeting his parents. He needed to think things through. That earlier ride with Bumblebee seemed so long ago. Back then, he would never have thought he'd have ended up with a Decepticon owing him a life-debt. However, he was going to have to talk things through with Barricade. If he planned to accompany Sam everywhere he went, he might have to tell Barricade to change his alt-mode for the time being. Otherwise, what would the other kids at school think if they saw a Police car accompanying him to and from school? Plus, he hated to think of the carnage that might result if one day Barricade was parked in the school car park in his current disguise without his holoform on. Mikaela was not the only one there with a parent in prison. All it would take would be one of the students with a grudge against the Police to pour paint-stripper on Barricade's bonnet, try to put sugar in his tank, or try and set him alight….

Before Sam could think any further,he heard the front door open as one of his parents went outside. He heard his father talking, and wondered who he was talking to. He went cold as he recognised the voice that spoke back. It was, admittedly, more human-sounding than when he was in robot form, but Sam knew Barricade's voice. 

All he could hear of the conversation was Barricade's response to a question his father had asked of him.

"This concerns your son, Samuel, Mr Witwicky. He is why I am here."

Sam heard his father come back in.

"SAM!" Can you come down here and explain this?" Sam chanced a look out of his window, and groaned.

Two sets of tyre tracks ran like scars over half of his father's otherwise perfect green lawn, and Barricade was parked up on the other half, as obvious as a pimple on the end of someone's nose.

"That is _not_ hiding!" Sam whispered. "What is it Cybertronians don't get about gardens and cars, that they don't go together, that to be a car in a garden is _not hiding?"_

"SAM!" yelled his father again. "I'm waiting!"

\/p> 


	4. Chapter 4: White Lies and Hard Truths

\/p>

-1Code of Honour

Chapter Four

White Lies and Hard Truths.

Sam hurried downstairs to find his father once again talking to Barricade-or to be more precise, with Barricade's holoform, which had exited from Barricade and was standing in the doorway of the house.

"-overheard details on a matter I cannot elaborate on as it concerns National Security. Your son's not sure if he was spotted, so to be on the safe side, he has been allocated a uniformed Police officer - namely, myself - as a visible Police presence, to deter any possibility of repercussions." Barricade was finishing up. 

"What good will one Police officer do? No offence intended, Officer…?" The sentence ended on a rising note: Ron was asking for the holoform's name. Sam hoped that the Decepticon could understand human non-verbal communication and voice intonation.

"I'm Officer Cade, Mr Witwicky." Barricade told him with a small smile. Sam hid a grin: Barricade had an interesting way of telling the truth without giving anything away. "To answer your question, Mr Witwicky, I am only the _visible_ Police presence. I could ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement, but I'm trusting you as a loyal American citizen to keep the information I am about to tell you to yourself. There are several other Police operatives around, trained in covert operations, dedicated to the protection of your son."

Sam was impressed with how believable Barricade had made this yarn: had Sam been in his father's position, _he_ would have believed it. He had considered explaining the truth to his father, the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) the family had signed after the Mission City debacle allowed the family to talk amongst themselves about such things, and about certain things that had made their way into the media and the Internet, as they inevitably had. 

All things considered, Barricade had decided, it seemed, just as Sam had, that his family did _not_ need to know that he was under the watchful, but protective, optic of a Decepticon. Sam had a feeling that his family just equated the word "Decepticon" with the word "enemy", and that to explain about Barricade's _real _identity and purpose would just confuse, and possibly panic them. Add to that the fact that his parents knew that the American government had declared the Decepticons 'Enemies of the State,' and things could get _really_ messy should his parents be In the Know.

At this point, Sam's mother, Judy Witwicky had come through. She joined Ron in asking questions, which Barricade smoothly answered, peppering his responses with words and phrases like "National

Security", "Loyal Americans", and "Upright American Citizens." By the end, Ron was being proud and patriotic, telling Barricade that he'd not breathe a word to anybody, and Judy was almost hanging off every word from Barricade's mouth, declaring herself to be as loyal to her country as anyone could be, and also promising to keep what Barricade had told them to herself. Sam was impressed with Barricade's adroitness in playing on his family's loyalty to their country. 

It also made Sam aware that when this debt was paid, and Barricade went back to scheming against the human race, how very dangerous his convincing manner could be. Sam swore to never underestimate Barricade again. 

"Ah, Sam, there you are, it's just me, Barry, I've just explained to your parents here why I need to be parked on their lawn until this incident is resolved. The family will, of course, be reimbursed for the damage when this has finished." Barricade told Sam. 

Sam saw his father mouth "Barry? Barry Cade?" at Sam. Sam just shrugged and smiled.

"I'm proud of you son." Ron said as Barricade's holoform turned their way again. "You've done the Witwicky name proud, Sam." He beamed at Sam, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Officer Cade, should we keep Sam in for his own safety?" he asked.

'_Oh no, please no!' _Sam thought desperately.

"Not at all, Mr Witwicky, your son should go about his daily life as normal, we wouldn't want our country's enemies to think you or he were scared, would you? The more he acts normally and does his usual stuff, the greater our chances of apprehending these people." Barricade told Ron and Judy gravely. "Remember: your son doesn't _know_ if they saw him or not, but if they didn't, or did but are not sure if he heard anything, if his behaviour changes, they may find out, or work it out."

"Of course, we understand. That means you _will_ still be going to school on Monday, Sam." Ron said.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr Witwicky, I should return to my vehicle. If asked, just tell people that my presence her is to deter criminals and troublemakers from hanging around this area." he said, smiling.

"Yes, officer." Ron said.

"I shall see you. Mr Witwicky, and Mrs Witwicky." said Barricade, taking Judy's hand and kissing it gallantly. Judy blushed, and Sam tensed, but that was all that he did. As Barricade's holoform walked back to his car-self, Sam decided _not_ to tell his mother who Barricade really was even after the incident: she'd have a fit if she knew what Barricade _really _was.

Sam finally managed to get away from his parents ten minutes later: they were still talking about Sam's "selfless deed to our country" and Sam was getting embarrassed, especially because it was all a fabrication.

Fifteen minutes after this, (while still trying to think of a way to explain this at school, as Barricade had now made his Police alt-form, a necessity to keep up the reason for being on the lawn), his mobile rang. It was Mikaela, and she sounded tense.

"Sam, you do _know_ that Barricade is out on your front lawn, and that Bumblebee is just _sitting_ there?" she said. "It _is_ Barricade, the number's the same, I checked. I don't dare approach while he's there, and I want to see you. I also thought you should be warned. Sam, what's going on?" she asked.

"Stay there, 'Kayla, I'll come and make sure it's safe for you to come in, and I'll explain everything in my room, I promise. It's complicated." he said.

"It always is when the Autobots and the Decepticons are involved." she sighed. "I'm still glad I got in the car, though." she reassured him.

Slipping out of the house, Sam went over to Barricade, bending down at the driver's window, to make it look like he was speaking to 'Officer Cade', although he knew that wherever he spoke at, Barricade would hear him.

"Barricade, I need your word that you won't hurt my mate, Mikaela." Sam said.

"If she is, or is going to be, your Sparkmate, then my promise and protection to not harm nor let harm come to you is also extended to her, as long as doing so will not put you in peril, as it is you I owe the debt to. Did you really think otherwise?" Barricade sounded genuinely puzzled. 

"Well, I had to make sure." Sam said. "After all, as Bumblebee said, human and Cybertronian honour may differ in ways we might not otherwise think of." Sam explained.

"Not _that_ much." Barricade told him. "After all, it is a life-debt you are owed, and if _she_ is going to be a part of that life, then to harm her, or allow her to come to harm, would mean I was breaking my oath. Unless it was a case of save you or save her. In such a case, the debt would be paid to whom it is owed, namely, you."

"Thanks." Sam said. Unconsciously patting the top of Barricade's hood, as he was so used to doing with Bumblebee, he sauntered over to where Mikaela was waiting.

Barricade felt his Spark unexpectedly warm at the contact. After Mission City, he had been one of only two Decepticons on Earth. Not long after that, Starscream had also left, albeit only to go looking for more Decepticon allies in space and to lead them back to continue and end the fight. Starscream had decided that only one side could be allowed to live, his own Decepticons, but Barricade privately thought that there was an equal chance that the Decepticons could end up being those wiped out. To Barricade, with the AllSpark and the only leader he really respected, Megatron, gone, there was very little point in continuing the fight.

The whole Cybertronian race faced extinction. After all, between the (now recorded) 12 Autobots and (as he only knew of himself and Starscream) 2 Decepticons, that still made only 14 Cybertronians left, and as they were all mechs, without a willing femme, none of them could keep their side (or their race) going.

He pushed these feelings, and the associated loneliness, aside. There had been no indications that the fleshling being (as he still thought of him) he was now committed to protecting had stroked him intentionally. However, he could still feel the warmth where the human had briefly touched his hood. The contact had surprised Barricade, but not as much as his Spark's reaction to the touch had. 

Sam, unaware of the thoughts and feelings his absent touch had caused, reached Mikaela.

"Sam!" Mikaela cried upon seeing him, rushing over to embrace him. "What's going on?"

"Look, Mikaela, you're right, it _is _Barricade, but I have his word-which Bumblebee trusts-that he won't hurt you." Sam told her. Mikaela looked confused, and a bit annoyed.

"You _believe_ him, Sam? He tried to _kill _us a few months ago! Do you really want to put the word of a Decepticon to the test?"

"No, normally, I wouldn't, but Bumblebee says he can be trusted to keep his word because it's a different situation-which I'll explain upstairs in my room-and I _do_ trust _Bee's _judgement. Bumblebee wouldn't say he could be trusted unless he was very sure, you _know_ that. Mikaela, Barricade could have killed me by now if he wanted to, and he had at least _two_ opportunities to today - maybe three, even - and he hasn't. Come on, come up to my room and I'll explain it all."

Sam led Mikaela over, and although she came with him, she never took her eyes off Barricade, standing as far from him as she could when she walked up the drive. Taking Mikaela up the stairs, Sam took her in his room and shut the door.

Once he was sure no-one was lurking upstairs-like his Mom or Dad-he proceeded to tell her exactly what had happened, from the moment he and Bumblebee had accidentally overheard the rogue S-7 agents plotting, right up to when he had asked Barricade for his word not to harm Mikaela.

"I guess if Bumblebee is that certain about it, we have to go along with it." she said.

Sam nodded.

"It looks like it." he said. Mikaela looked at him again.

"I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again, because it needs to be said. You are the _strangest_ boy I have _ever_ met." 

\/p> 


	5. Chapter 5: At School with the Saleen

\/p>

-1Code Of Honour

Chapter Five

At School with the Saleen

Sam found out on Sunday night that Bumblebee was being sent out on extremely short notice to investigate reports of new arrivals, although whose side they were on was unknown. Bumblebee was being sent for he was their best scout, and was asked to find out numbers, faction or factions (if possible) and help direct any new Autobots to their base.

His mission was expected to last at least three days, but would most likely take a week. Sam was understandably pissed about the situation, but understood. Bumblebee was an Autobot first, and Sam's transportation second. Sam wouldn't have had it any other way. Like all of his friends, sometimes Bumblebee had priorities over and above Sam. If Sam was in any danger, he wouldn't have been going, but Sam was perfectly safe with Barricade-even Optimus Prime, upon hearing about, and asking the circumstances of Barricade's unusual protective role, had conceded this point.

Ron would have taken Sam to school, but he had an out-of-town job that started an hour before school did. There was no school bus, and the walk would leave Sam exhausted by the time he got there. Sam planned to use his old bike, which is what he had always done before he got Bumblebee.

Barricade, however, had other ideas.

On Monday morning, Sam found that Barricade had parked on the drive, and in such a way that Sam could not get around him easily. Each time Sam tried to manoeuvre himself and the bike down the small space on the drive in front of Barricade's hood, the Saleen moved to block his path.

"Barricade, what are you playing at?" Sam asked after the fifth time this had happened. "I gotta go to school, stop messing about!"

"I am playing at nothing. I am being serious." Barricade told him. "It seems foolish to risk your life on that flimsy piece of metal when I am perfectly capable of taking you to this 'school' myself." Barricade stated. "Do you still not trust me? If I intended to kill you, I had ample opportunity to this weekend, and I could kill you now if I so wished, merely by changing form, as you are so close you would be crushed as I transformed." Sam swallowed at the mental image this brought up.

"It's not that, Barricade." Sam said. "I told Mikaela as much on Friday evening. It's connected to why I would not let you drive me back on Friday evening. Someone my age in a police car usually equals trouble in the eyes of other humans. My reputation and status in the eyes of the other kids at school is already low enough, and to turn up in a police car would lower that status further." He managed a small smile. "I know, it's very shallow, but my life is already a misery at school, and a further lowering of my status in that way would just get me more hassle and a lot more teasing."

"No, I understand, status was important in the Decepticon ranks when there were more of us." Barricade told Sam, surprising him. "If you got a chance to gain a higher status you did, for lower status individuals were considered expendable. In the Decepticon ranks, you proved yourself to have a use, and the more useful you could be, the better. If you didn't, you might find yourself on a suicide mission, or you might find yourself facing one of your own soldiers to provide entertainment or an example to the others, or you might even be used for target practice by a superior who needed someone or something to take out his ire on if something he had been involved or interested in had gone wrong. Those who did not gain status either kept a very low profile, made themselves indispensable in some way to a higher ranking 'bot, or didn't live long. I do understand the importance of status."

"Well, you see, all the other kids and the teachers will be asking questions today, and I can't exactly tell them the truth now, can I? Sam said." Barricade gave a chuckle.

"The questions will not last long, not once the principal reads that email I sent him. Considering that I knew what sort of E-mail would be needed, it was relatively easy to hack into the NSA's lower-security computers, work out the codes I needed to get to a higher level, and send an E-mail to the school giving them the story I told your father, telling them what they can and cannot talk about. However, because I am bound to protect you, I must take you myself."

"But _why_?" Sam asked in exasperation. "I do know how to ride a bike!"

"That may be as so, but that piece of scrap metal you would be balancing so precariously on would give no protection should a human lose control of one of the drones you humans use to get around in, and it hits you. You have a choice, Samuel James Witwicky. You can go to school with me driving you, or you can not go at all. The choice is yours."

Sam sighed, and wheeled the bike back to the garage, Walking back over, he slid into the front passenger seat as Barricade opened it for him. He put his bag of books on his lap once he'd done up the seat belt.

"Okay, 'Cade, I think I know by now not to doubt you when your mind is made up about something. If I don't attend, that'll cause more problems than it'd solve, so I guess I'll have to cope with Trent and his gang picking on me again." Sam said in resignation.

"_What_ did you just call me?" asked Barricade. Sam, surprised thought back over his conversation and groaned. Oh no, had he offended the Decepticon by contracting his name? Surely not, as he'd used it as his holoform's name? Then Sam realised the tone of Barricade's voice had been one of surprise, not anger.

"Uh-sorry, Barricade, I have a bad habit of shortening the names of my friends to nicknames. Mikaela is sometimes called Kayla, Bumblebee gets called Bee, and I guess I simply shortened Barricade to 'Cade, as it's shorter, easier to say, and I thought it sounded cool. I'm sorry, Barricade, I'm just a lazy speaker, I'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again." Sam apologised.

"No, Sam, it does not matter, after all isn't the name 'Sam' itself a contraction of your given designation, Samuel?" he asked.

"Uhh…yeah, it is." Sam said.

"Then I do not mind if you wish to call me 'Cade. It is acceptable." he said, starting his engine. 

As he pulled out of the Witwicky drive, Barricade asked Sam "Who is this 'Trent' you speak of? Why does he tease you?"

"Trent DeMarco? He's the school football star. All muscles and no brains if you ask me. Treats girls like sex objects and takes the mickey out of anyone who's not in his circle of friends, who are all into sport like him. I'm not into sport at all, and he hates me even more now, because Mikaela, who he considered to be his mate, prefers to be with me. So he picks on me even more now. If he sees me getting out of you, my life's not really gonna be worth living." Sam explained as Barricade purred along the road on the way to Sam's school.

"DeMarco, you say?" Barricade asked. Sam nodded, even the thought of Trent laughing at him making him feel unwell. So deep was Sam in thought that he didn't notice Barricade go quiet.

Barricade reached the school, asked Sam to point out a window in his homeroom, and parked in a place where he could see it from. Promising to keep an eye on him, Barricade opened his front passenger door, and Sam climbed out. His heart sank as he saw not just Trent, but most of his gang, looking over at him, whispering and pointing. Trent said something inaudible to one of the others, who burst into a huge guffaw of laughter. Everyone, he saw, was looking at him. It was worse than he had imagined it would be. He hunched his shoulders and tried to creep in quietly, but Trent pointed again, and sniped "I see that the school wimp has got himself into trouble. What happened, caught shoplifting in Wal-Mart or something, were you? Have you been a naughty boy?" One of Trent's friends started laughing, just as Barricade's driver's door shot open, and Barricade's holoform stepped out.

The holoform's face was deadpan as it strode towards Trent, and suddenly all the attention was on this new source of excitement. Stopping in front of Trent, the holoform took out a plain black wallet, and opened it long enough to flash something at Trent that was silver and black and looked very official. Whatever it was made Trent go pale.

"National Security matter Mr-DeMarco, isn't it?" the holoform asked in a mildly threatening voice that somehow reminded Sam of Simmons at his smarmiest. The holoform reached out and dropped a hand on Trent's shoulder.

"Yes, Trent DeMarco, I've seen your file, _that's_ why I remember you. You and everyone else here is permitted to know that young Mr Witwicky has done the country a great favour, but that is _all _I am permitted to disclose. If you continue to bother him, your parents will be informed and a note will go in your file. We may also be forced to take you in for questioning, to find out why you are so interested in finding out what Mr Witwicky has done, as you do not appear to be a friend of his. Do I make myself quite clear, Mr DeMarco?" 

"Uh, y-yes officer, perfectly clear, sir." Trent choked.

"Good!" Barricade's holoform said.

The holoform finally gave Trent a grin, which, despite being on a human face, reminded Sam of nothing more than Barricade in robot form. It was the smile of a predator playing with its prey. 

Trent, too, did not find the grin encouraging, paling further and trying futilely to pull back against the holoform, which although appeared to be of an average build, was obviously exerting a superhuman grip on Trent's shoulder.

Sam tried to hide a smirk as the holoform let go of Trent, who immediately moved his other hand up to rub the grabbed shoulder. Sam straightened his back, reflecting as he walked into school that he had the distinct impression that Barricade had _enjoyed _the little confrontation. On that, Sam was forced to agree: _he_ had enjoyed it, too. He looked back to see Barricade's holoform get back in Barricade, and give him a thumbs-up. Sam thumbs-upped back, and ignored the states of Trent and his gang, who were staring at Sam open-mouthed.

Sam got into the homeroom, found his seat, and sat down. Trent came in, shooting a sidelong glance at Sam, and then ignoring him. Mikaela came in too, sitting next to Sam, who had sat next to a plainer friend of Mikaela's till Mikaela had asked her to swap. Looking out of the window, Sam saw that Barricade had a clear line-of-sight of him through the window.

Mr Dyson walked in. "Okay, class, before we start today, I have a notice from the principle. Many of you will have noticed that Mr Witwicky has arrived to school in a police car. The Principal has received an E-mail from the same high places as he did after the events of Mission City, saying that Sam has performed a great service-that none of you are permitted to know as of yet-to our country. The instructions in that E-mail are the same: Sam is _not_ to be asked, pestered, or otherwise bothered about this issue, and he and his family are under an NDA, he is not permitted to talk about it, and anyone who tries to is liable to be taken away to be questioned as to why they have so much interest. So, respect, please, people, we could all do worse than follow the shining example of patriotism displayed by Samuel Witwicky, who, I can disclose, put himself at great personal risk to do our glorious country proud. Now, let's move on to today's first class."

By the end of the day, Sam was feeling pretty happy. Obviously, the whole school had received a similar talk from their tutor, for all day Sam had not been bothered, not even by cronies of Trent and co: and almost all of the glances directed his way were either nervous or respectful. The nervous he wasn't entirely happy about, but those looks of respect were very welcome, it wasn't often that he was accorded respect in school, although he tried to give courtesy as he had been brought up to by his parents.

As he headed towards Barricade, who was waiting to take him home after school had ended that day, Barricade popped open his door. Sam smiled as he sat in and put the seat belt on.

"Thanks for dealing with Trent earlier." he said. 

Barricade's holoform's expression didn't change, but Sam did not doubt Barricade when he stated "It was my pleasure." The tone of Barricade's voice told him that his earlier guess, that Barricade had enjoyed it, was correct. If he were lucky, perhaps the effect of that encounter might last a few months.

Sam smiled again as Barricade's engine purred into motion.

Perhaps this week without Bumblebee wasn't going to be so bad after all…..

\/p> 


	6. Chapter 6: Fuel Up and Clean Up

\/p>

-1Code Of Honour.

Chapter Six.

Fuel Up And Clean Up.

Sam did, in fact, enjoy his week with Barricade without Bumblebee's presence more than he thought he would-especially, as from Tuesday morning on, Mikaela agreed to ride in Barricade with him. Barricade managed to send an additional E-mail to the principal, citing Mikaela as also being involved with the same issue as Sam, just paperwork needing to be done before she was assigned the same protection as Sam.

That wasn't to say that Sam did not miss the presence of his yellow Autobot friend, he did. He missed his laughter, his sense of humour, their conversation and many other little things he had taken for granted till Bumblebee had been sent on this mission, and Sam privately counted down the days till his Autobot friend was due to return.

In the meantime, Barricade had began to open up a little to both Sam and Mikaela, and tell them a little about his life before the war. Otherwise, he was asking Sam and Mikaela about what they did in a country where, although war occurred on the planet, it rarely affected them, and Sam thought that Barricade was actually surprised by some of their responses.

Sam had no idea (and didn't ask) what Barricade had sent in those E-mails to the school Principal, but whatever it was, the effect had lasted the whole week, and looked set to continue that way for some time. He was still getting respectful (as well as some more nervous) looks from his peers, but it wasn't just them: some of the _teachers_ were treating he and Mikaela like intelligent human beings now.

Barricade had the radio on that Friday, a week to the day since Sam had earned Barricade's protection. Barricade had taken Sam's suggestion to listen to some human music after Barricade had casually remarked one evening, while driving Sam and Mikaela home, that he had an appreciation of music.

Although Barricade had at first only agreed to try it to please Sam and Mikaela, he found he enjoyed Earth's classical music, and rock and pop music. Although Cybertronian hearing extended into ranges above and beyond that of humans, the human music fell comfortably in the middle of that range, and Barricade had been pleasantly surprised to find himself enjoying the music. That evening, Barricade had taken Mikaela back to her road, and drove back to Sam's house. As they turned in, Sam saw his familiar yellow Camaro, albeit a bit grimy-looking, parked in his customary place. 

Sam felt an odd mixture of joy and regret, joy because his Autobot friend had returned, but regret because he and Barricade had fallen into a semi-friendly relationship, and that comfortable state was bound to become a little more turbulent with Bumblebee's return. Sam dreaded the two trying to score points off each other through their relationship with him, and him being stick in the middle being hurt by them both. 

None of these concerns stopped Sam getting out of Barricade's front passenger seat and running over to his Camaro friend.

"Bumblebee!" he cried, running his hands over his Autobot friend's warm hood. Bumblebee checked with scans to see if many humans were around, and then transformed, picking Sam up and clasping him to his chest in his version of a hug. 

"Sam!" he replied happily.

Sam grimaced as he felt grime under his fingers as he stroked and cuddled his Autobot guardian.

"Okay, Bumblebee, tomorrow morning I'm calling Mikaela over, and we're giving you a wash, Bee." Craning his neck, he looked down at the Saleen. "You too, 'Cade, you're black and brown rather than black and white."

If Bumblebee had possessed mobile optic brow ridges like Ratchet's, they would have risen. Bumblebee cupped Sam in both his hands and held him back, looking at him. As his face could not show as much expression as a human face, his voice conveyed his astonishment and confusion.

"When did he become 'Cade', Sam?" Bumblebee queried.

Sam also thought he heard an edge of hurt in Bumblebee's voice. He gave Bumblebee the same explanation he had given Barricade earlier that week.

"I got lazy like I usually do, Bee, and shortened it. He didn't mind, so I just kept on using it." He reached out to touch Bumblebee's thumb. "C'mon, Bee, 'Barricade' is as much as a mouthful of syllables as 'Bumblebee.' After all, how long did it take before I started calling you 'Bee'?

"Twenty-seven hours, thirty-two minutes, and thirty-nine seconds after Optimus told you my designated name." said Bumblebee, sounding, Sam thought, a little mollified.

"Well, there you are, Bee." said Sam.

"Sam, food's ready." called Judy.

"Look, I'll call Mikaela tomorrow, you both need washing. Night, 'Bee, night, 'Cade." said Sam as he went into the house.

Sam ate his meal, did his chores, and started on his homework for the next week. Then he went to bed, sleeping through the night as two pairs of watchful optics kept a look out for any potential threat.

Sam woke, dressed, got breakfast, and then called Mikaela.

"Hey, Kayla, Bumblebee's back, do you want to come over and help me wash him? Barricade needs a wash too, and I could do with the help." he said.

"Sure, Sam." she said. "Could you and Bumblebee come and pick me up? If not, I could just walk, but it'll take me longer to get there."

"No, I'll get Bee, and pick you up." he said. Then he remembered.

"Actually, I'll probably have to send Bee. You being picked up and dropped off by Cade is one thing which has been covered, but Cade following 'Bee will just look suspicious." Sam said. 

Bumblebee was happy to pick up Mikaela, while Sam got the hot water, sponges, soap, wax, and leathers ready. He also got permission to run a hosepipe from the hot tap out of the kitchen window for rinsing purposes. Any ordinary car, and he would've used a cold hose, but these were Cybertronians, and Sam knew that in their position, he'd prefer a warm rather than a cold rinse.

Bumblebee got back, and Sam and Mikaela found that washing two cars at about the same time wasn't really that much more work than washing just one, especially when both were content to be rinsed off with the hose.

Waxing two cars, however, was a different matter, that did take some time, Sam waxing Barricade and Mikaela waxing Bumblebee. Sam got the impression that the wash-and-wax treatment was an entirely new experience for the Decepticon: it certainly seemed to be one that he enjoyed if the purring of his engine was anything to go by. 

The job was also made to seem faster when the objects of their attentions were happy to talk to them, be that to relate a memory, in Bumblebee's case to ask if Sam remembered something the same way he did, and in Barricade's case, to relay some interesting info from the police radio net, or to remark "There's still a blob of wax on my rear left door panel, could you rub it some more to spread it evenly?" 

After a couple of hours, both cars gleamed.

"Sam, I need to get some fuel, and I need to take you with me to make sure you're safe. You can duck down when I go in the Police pound and get my tank filled up." Barricade said.

"What if I'm spotted?" Sam asked. 

Barricade sighed, opening the driver's side door.

"Get in, I'll project my holoform over you, no-one will tell the difference." Barricade said.

Realising that what Barricade was planning to do was technically stealing, Sam offered to take Barricade to a gas station.

"No, Sam, it would look very odd, you stopping me at a gas station and filling my tank. We might get away with it once, but I have no idea how long I will be guarding you for, and I feel it is best if I turn up regularly at the Police place. If I am missing for too long, they may investigate. Also, will you be able to afford gas for two cars long-term?" Barricade said.

Sam had to concede that Barricade had a point-two points, in fact, and reluctantly sat in the driver's side. He felt a strange tingling as Barricade projected the holoform over him. Looking in the driver's wing mirror, he saw the face of Barricade's holoform looking back at him. Sam shuddered, wondering if Barricade had chosen the holoform for effect, or just didn't realise what a face-ache his holoform was by human standards.

"Sam, do you mind if I get Bumblebee to take me to the mall later?" Mikaela asked.

"Sure thing, 'Kayla." said Sam, as Barricade pulled out. He noticed her pull a face at the holoform: she obviously found it as unpleasant as he did. In fact, as a female, she possibly found it a total turn-off, and Sam was looking forward to getting out of it. He hoped it wouldn't put her off him: his sex life had improved since meeting Mikaela, and he didn't want to lose it because Barricade's sense of aesthetics differed from his and hers. However, it worked, and he was obviously recognised at the pound as someone they knew, for Barricade was filled up without incident.

"Good day, Mr Cade." one or two real police officers greeted him, and he had to remember not to reply.

Sam was still glad when Barricade pulled into a street two blocks down, allowing Sam to slide over into the passenger seat.

"Cade, can we go out of Tranquility for a bit and just cruise around?" asked Sam. "Kayla will have gone out in Bumblebee by now, and I don't want to just sit at home getting bored." he said. Barricade didn't give a verbal answer, just turned onto a road leading out of Tranquility.

"Can I ask you a question? I've always been scared to ask Bee, I was worried he might find it personal. If _you_ find it personal, you don't have to answer." he said.

"Then ask." said Barricade. "If I can, I will answer your question to the best of my ability." Sam took a deep breath.

"With you and Bumblebee, I've often referred to you both as "he", and so has Mikaela, but as the AllSpark created your Sparks, it would seem that you have no need for two genders as we do. Do you just accept 'he' as an acceptable designation rather than 'it', or is there more to it than that?" Sam queried.

"There _is_ more to it than that." replied Barricade. "Although our Sparks are AllSpark-generated, it does not mean that we are genderless. Bumblebee and I are mechs, and the nearest human equivalent to a mech is your 'male' gender, so 'he' is the correct gender designation for us. Does that answer your question?"

"Why would you have genders at all?" Sam asked, answering Barricade with another query. "After all, with the AllSpark creating new Sparks, you would never have needed to….to…um…._you_ know." he finished up, embarrassed.

"To have what you humans call, varyingly, 'sex', 'making love', 'making out', 'having it off', 'shagging'….." Barricade himself tailed off, his holoform looking directly at Sam. 

"Are you unwell? Your face has gone very red. Oh, yes, you are embarrassed." Barricade worked out.

"Uuh, yeah." Sam admitted, ducking his flaming red face. Trust Barricade to get straight to the point!

"Why are your kind wont to get so embarrassed about discussion of a topic that is, judging by the amount of life forms on your world that employ it, a perfectly natural method of progenitation? Your human 'Internet' seems to be full of the subject, and some of the variations on the theme sound fascinating. What would some humans find so enjoyable about being handcuffed to a pole or similar structure, and-"

Sam had had enough: he was going redder by the moment. "I don't know, Cade, I find that one odd as well. Look, I'd really rather not get into a discussion on the human preoccupation with sex, and the various methods used to employ it." Sam was surprised his face was not by now lighting up the inside of Barricade with a red glow.

"Let's just say it's a private act, and we _don't_ like to discuss it!"

"People discuss it all the time on your World Wide Web." Barricade persisted.

"The Web's different, and so are humans! I'm one of those who finds discussing it rather embarrassing, so I'd really rather get back to the original topic of discussion if you don't mind!" Sam said.

"Very well." Barricade said. "You were asking why we have genders when we do not need to reproduce in the manner that humans do. The answer to that is that although it was not _necessary, _reproduction of that kind is possible with our race, and _will_ in fact be necessary, now the AllSpark is gone, to keep our race alive. It will, however, be a problem, for not only do we need to find a femme bot, and femme Sparks were rare to begin with, but she would need to be, or be made, willing to take on such a responsibility, and we would all have to overcome our prejudice of the femmeborn."

"What prejudice is that?" asked Sam. Barricade sighed.

"It's complicated, Sam. Let's just say that Sparks produced by mech-femme pairings rather than by the AllSpark were seen as……" he paused, searching for the right word, and then found it. "…..sacrilegious."

Sam nodded: he could imagine: he remembered some of the debating society discussions on reproductive technology he'd had to sit through at school, one side saying it was acceptable, the other saying it was playing God and should not happen.

"Femme bots, huh?" he asked. "I've never seen anything that looks remotely like what a human would consider remotely female but then, how would I know, I've never seen a female Cybertronian, unless Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide or Jazz aren't telling me something."

Even Barricade's holoform cracked a smile at that. "Ironhide a femme bot? I certainly hope not! He'd have to be one _ugly_ femme!"

"Oops, don't tell him I suggested that!" Sam said. Barricade merely chuckled. They were on a lonely road, Sam noticed: Barricade had taken 'Can we get out of Tranquility' to mean the area: Sam realised he wasn't sure where they were. Abruptly, Barricade's holoform shifted and reformed, and Sam gaped at what now sat behind the wheel. 

It was human-sized, but was otherwise obviously Cybertronian. Gleaming purple-and-silver seemed to be it's colour scheme. Its head was differently-shaped, the purple on top looking for all the world like a hairstyle, and a female one at that. Below this was a silver face, with huge blue optics, delicate features and beautifully-shaped feminine lips even by human standards. The hands now resting on Barricade's steering wheel were black, slender and narrow, attached to long slender arms that reminded Sam, shape-wise, of Mikaela's. The chest was deeper, and protruded further out from the body proportionally than that of any Cybertronian Sam had yet seen. The narrow waist and long, shapely legs completed the form. It spoke, and disturbingly, it was still speaking with Barricade's original holoform's voice.

"This, Sam, is a femme bot." Barricade's voice stated.

\/p> 


	7. Chapter 7: Let's Talk About Sex

_Code of Honour_

_Chapter Seven_

_Let's Talk About Sex_

"_Who is_ she?" asked Sam.

"Her designation, in your language, would have no meaning, but as sounds, it would translate as Arcee. She is-or maybe was, I have no idea if she still lives-a femme fighting on the Autobot side. It is a shame we fought on opposite sides, for although there was no such thing as an ugly femme, she is a beautiful example of craftsmechship. I took several holograms of her in battle, and that is what I have based this holoform on."

"Um-didn't she _mind_ that you were taking pictures of her?" Sam asked, knowing several women on his street who would slap anyone taking pictures of them without permission. 

"She would undoubtedly have minded if she had known, but she was too busy fighting to notice." Barricade said, sounding slightly smug. 

"Arcee is only about twice your height, she was of the small-and-delicate type, but proportions and sizes are variable, just as they are in mechs." Barricade told him. "Otherwise, she is a fairly typical example of a femme bot." Sam was rather relieved when Barricade shifted the holoform back to his male human form as they went on a more frequented highway.

"You say that mech-femme created Sparks were seen as sacrilegious-that does suggest that your kind did-well-okay-have sex." Sam said, flushing again. "Or am I getting it wrong?"

"Although our methods are slightly different, essentially, yes, intimate contact was, and is, practiced among Cybertronians. Due to the rarity of femmes, much of this was, and is, mech-on-mech pairings." Barricade said. Sam closed his eyes briefly, trying to dispel the mental holograms of Ironhide and Optimus 'together' that Barricade's comment had produced in his head: _that_ he could have done without. 

"So-if it's not for reproduction, what would you _do_ it for?" Sam asked.

"For fun. It is sometimes used to cement friendships, or to strengthen loyalty ties amongst battle comrades, for us it is simply the mutual giving and receiving of pleasure." Barricade explained.

"Amongst battle comrades?" Sam asked. 

"Sometimes, although when Starscream approached me, I refused. I was loyal only to Megatron. Now that Megatron is dead, I am still _not_ pledging my loyalty to Starscream. He schemed _against_ Megatron when he'd pledged the same sort of loyalty _to_ him: I would _not_ sully my Spark by having it in contact with his." Barricade said fiercely. Sam shook his head to dispel the _very_ disturbing series of mental images Barricade's rant had created. 

Barricade looked at Sam curiously.

"Why you need to ask, I do not know. I gathered from the Internet that you humans also use sex for fun as well as procreating."

"Yeah, but, the first stemmed from the necessity of the second." Sam said. Then he thought of another question.

"Does the mutual giving of pleasure involve-well-penetration, like us. Do you have foreplay as well-like, stroking?" Sam asked.

"We do not 'penetrate' in the way you humans do. As for stroking, we most certainly do: for Spark-merge, or perhaps the term 'Spark-sex' might be easier for you to understand, the more relaxed the participants, the easier and more enjoyable Spark-sex is: the caressing helps the chest catches to release." Barricade told Sam. "Caressing is a major part of the pleasure and bonding process, it does not have to be a full Spark-sex, or "all the way" as you humans call it."

"So…..how does Spark-sex work?" Sam asked.

"We open our chests and allow the energy of our Sparks to merge together. It both energises and relaxes the participants, although it expends much energy to do it. It is a total sharing of our very essence." Barricade said. 

Sam realised that Barricade was being very tolerant of his questions, and open about a subject that he himself was reticent to discuss the human side of. He thought he should make sure.

"I'm not being too nosy am I, if I am, please let me know." he said.

"No, we do not share your preoccupation or embarrassment about the subject." Barricade told him.

"So-how do you know where to stroke, are there common places on all of you, or dies it vary from person to person?" Sam asked.

"There are certain areas on all mechs - and other places on all femmes - that are sensitive, but each person varies as well. It is a combination of knowing the areas common to all, and finding your partner's exclusive places." Barricade explained.

"Can you choose to go so far and then stop, or once you start, does it have to go all the way?" asked Sam.

"It is usually agreed by both participants before they start if the Spark-merge will happen, and it can be stopped even at the early stages of the merge, as the chest plates open, by one or both pulling away, but once the energies combine, there is no way to stop a merge of this kind." Barricade explained.

"So-the common sensitive areas on a mech-where are they?" Sam asked, thinking of how nice it might be to interact with Bumblebee through stroking that he knew Bumblebee would find pleasurable.

"The chest is always sensitive, the grille, edges of armour, door edges and hinges on a form such as mine." Barricade said. "All mechs have exceptionally sensitive lower back columns and the surrounding plating. Any mechs with sensing equipment or antennae-me, Optimus, Bumblebee, Jazz, for example-that equipment is _very _sensitive. The face is usually sensitive in mechs and femmes. Light caresses ion the face are very pleasurable. Most fliers have very sensitive wings and shoulders and all up their backs." he explained. "There are other places that are sensitive, but not on all mechs. I am not sure I could explain them all in a way you could understand or remember. Body part names, for example, we have some things that have no comparable human equivalent"

"Well, can't you teach me in some other way, like by showing me?" asked Sam. He was unprepared for Barricade's reaction.

He slammed on the brakes, tires screeching in protest as Barricade came to a dead halt.


	8. Chapter 8:Misunderstandings

Code of Honour

Chapter Eight

Misunderstandings and Maintenance

'_Crap!' _thought Sam as Barricade stopped and turned off his engine. _'Now I've really offended him and I don't even know how or why!'_

Sam cringed, fully expecting that Barricade would at lest dump him out of his door, and might even forget he was supposed to be protecting Sam, and stomp him flat. None of this happened, however, and Sam opened one eye cautiously, to see the holoform regarding him impassively. Then Barricade spoke, and it's voice conveyed the emotion Barricade was unable to reproduce in the holoform's face at that time.

"You-_you_ want _me_-to _teach_ you?' he said, disgust, disbelief and amazement all conveyed in his vocal tones. Sam was confused. Why was a simple request to be taught where else on a mech was sensitive causing such a reaction? Sam figured he had best explain.

"Look, I want to be able to make Bumblebee happy I want to be able to stroke and caress him in a manner he finds enjoyable. He's been so good to me, and I want to show my appreciation of him by giving him some form of pleasure. Do you find my request for more information offensive, somehow? I'm sorry if I've inadvertently broken some sort of taboo."

Sam actually felt Barricade relax beneath him, the seat softening, the seatbelt loosening slightly over his chest.

"You-are asking for a verbal explanation of some sort? I explained the difficulties with the non-comparable body parts." Barricade said.

"Than can't you point to the requisite part on your own body, and tell me what you call it? If I learn from you what parts are what, then you can tell me "touch the so-and-so" and I'll know what you mean."

Barricade relaxed further. "I am sorry, Sam, my reaction to your request is merely my response to something you asked. It is a cultural misunderstanding. In Cybertronian society, a request from a younger or inexperienced mech or femme to an older or more experienced one to be 'taught' or to 'teach them' about physical intimacy is a request for a…..hands-on, practical demonstration by the teacher to the student." 

Sam grimaced, feeling a bit queasy at the scene _that_ evoked in his mind.

"Oh nonononono!" he said, feeling slightly panicked. "I take it you're not talking about using a hologram, so the size difference _alone_ would be a major problem!" Personally, Sam didn't want to get that intimate with Barricade in robot form or holoform, but didn't want to risk offending Barricade by saying so. He sweated, hoping that Barricade wasn't going to say his honour code made him obligated to 'teach' Sam, for Sam had _not _understood what that phrasing meant to a Cybertronian. He looked up, to see the holoform still regarding him dispassionately. A blue beam leaped from under Barricade's steering column, playing over Sam for a few seconds.

"Scans show that your blood pressure is rising, the capillaries in your skin are narrowing, there is adrenaline being released into your system, you are sweating, your pupils are dilating and your heart rate has doubled. I surmise from this that you are as disturbed by the idea of such intimate contact as I." Barricade stated. Then, Barricade spoke again.

"As you are requesting information relating to stroking only, that level of physical contact would be tolerable. If you wish, you can…experiment with certain levels of pressure and types of touch on me. After all, your Autobot guardian and I are of a very similar pattern. It is likely that where _I _enjoy being touched would also be where _he_ would enjoy being touched. In a similar way, I can tell you how much pressure to apply, tell you if you are being too light with your touch." he chuckled. "I do not think it likely that your touch would be too _firm_, at least not on the hide." Barricade started his engine again, pulling back onto the highway.

"So-I could touch or stroke you somewhere, and you could tell me if it felt nice, huh?" asked Sam. Somehow, thinking of it in terms of learning how to delight Bumblebee - and knowing Barricade neither expected nor wanted to do anything more intimate - was acceptable, reassuring and a little exciting to Sam.

"Yes, that is it exactly." said Barricade. He pulled off at the next turning. "In fact, I know a place where we can go now, to begin, if that is what you want to do. It is sufficiently isolated so that we would not be observed."

"Why not?" said Sam, taking a deep breath and leaning back, closing his eyes.

Barricade reached the, as promised, isolated place, let Sam out, and transformed into robot form.

"It would be best to do this in bipedal mode only. In car mode, the hood is full of sensors, and so is much of the interior, but you would _not _want to distract your guardian while he is driving you around." Barricade chuckled again. Then he lay down.

An hour later, Sam was sat on Barricade's chest, running his hands, fingers together, in firm, sweeping strokes down the hide. Barricade stretched, and chuckled.

"That's better, I can actually feel it properly now, you were tickling me last time. That's why I jerked and you fell off." Sam grinned sheepishly, and repeated the caress at the firm level Barricade had approved of; the black-and-white Decepticon sighed and shuttered his optics As Sam continued to practice the stroking.

If the truth was to be known-and Barricade had no intention of telling Sam-he was actually enjoying the contact. Over the week or so that he had been with Sam, Barricade had, to his surprise, found the boy's fleshiness and even his sweaty secretions, to be bearable. It helped that Sam knew he sweated a lot at times, and he usually showered every day, and changed his T-shirt every other day, or every day if he'd exerted himself more than usual. For a squishy, Barricade reflected - no, he mustn't risk calling Sam that out loud, so he should try and _think_ of Sam in less offensive terms - for a _human_, Sam was quite fastidious and was at least concerned enough for Barricade's comfort that he tried to avoid getting his sweat on Barricade.

Another thing that Barricade would not be telling Sam was that he was lonely. With Starscream gone into space, and Scorponok (as fare as he knew) still in Qatar, he had, before Sam had saved his life, been alone. It had not been so bad in the earlier days,. For at lest then he still had Frenzy, but Frenzy was dead, and the loneliness had began to make Barricade wish that he had perished too. Being with Sam also had the benefit of having Bumblebee around some of the time, too. As an Autobot, Bumblebee was still an enemy, but he was also one of his own kind, someone he could talk about Cybertron too, and Cybertronian issues, someone with a common frame of reference.

That didn't mean, Barricade reflected, that he couldn't talk of similar issues to Sam and his mate, in fact for a backwards form of life with a comparatively low level of technological achievement, Sam someti8mes came up with insightful comments, and the complexity of some of these sometimes surprised the Decepticon. No, the only problem with talking to Sam about Cybertron was that Sam had not experienced it, so could not talk about it the way he and Bumblebee could. Barricade may dislike flesh-creatures and Autobots, but he hated being alone more so. Contact with Sam and Bumblebee was preferable to no contact at all.

"Ask your Autobot guardian if he would mind you sliding your hands under his plating, and stroking the cables and wires you would find there." Barricade said. "Be sure to ask, because some find allowing access to delicate systems that could be damaged by rough handling difficult. If he allows it, run your hands along the wires and straighten out any kinks. Kinking of wires happens, and without regular correction, could become a problem over time. Pinched cables are another problem that small and dexterous hands such as yours could locate and correct. If he allows you to do so, he will be thankful for your attentions."

Sam sat up. "I would appreciate the chance to practice it first, if I may." he said. "May I go under your plating and straighten your wires, Barricade? I promise to be gentle and careful."

Perhaps if Frenzy, who had regularly performed this service for Barricade, had still been alive, Barricade would have refused Sam's request. However, Frenzy was dead, and Barricade had not had his wires unkinked for _months_. 

"Yes, you may." he said, and relaxed his chest plating as Sam slid down onto Barricade's stomach and slid his hands under his chest plating.

He sighed and stretched as he felt the boy's dextrous fingers slide long his cables and wires, very gently, as promised, straightening kinks and bends, carefully freeing anything that seemed wedged or tightly compressed. The boy's flesh-and-bone organic digits were nimble, and so _good _at finding, and rectifying, his wire problems. As Sam stretched his arms under to reach further, Barricade could not resist the tremor that ran through his frame, and he carefully used one hand to hold Sam gently against his stomach lest it shake him off, quickly removing it when the boy stiffened. Barricade surmised that his size was probably of concern to Sam.

When Sam offered to do the same on his back, Barricade allowed Sam to slide off, and shifted to lie on his front. Sam climbed onto Barricade's back, and began to perform the same service under his back plates, and Barricade shuddered again as Sam's fingers ran up a particularly sensitive cable. His engine purred, revved, and then he spoke.

"Samuel." he whispered.

Sam started as Barricade spoke his name. He pulled his hands back. He was unused to being addressed by his full name, when his parents did, it usually meant he was in trouble.

"Uh-Barricade?" he asked. "Sorry-have I done something wrong?"

"No, _I_ apologise, please do _not_ stop." Barricade said. 

Tentatively, Sam reached under again, this time stroking the wires he had already straightened, caressing them teasingly. Barricade could not control his reaction, bending his fingers and digging them into the dirt as his back arched - Sam managed to keep his balance - and he cried out wordlessly in pleasure.

"You like that, huh?" asked Sam, his hands lingering and backtracking the way they had come.

"_Yesss_!" hissed Barricade, neither noticing nor caring that this could be seen and exploited as a weakness at a later time. Sam's hands slid back and forth until Barricade was limply lying on the grass, only the odd quiver telling Sam that barricade was still online. Then he allowed his hands to continue unlinking and straightening, as Barricade recovered.

Sam stood up, and waited for Barricade to do the same, which, after a while, he did. He stood, and then stooped, carefully picking Sam up in one hand to lift him up to look at him. Sam, to his credit, didn't flinch.

"Thank you, Sam, that was most enjoyable, I am certain that Bumblebee will find your clever hands very enjoyable." said barricade, suppressing the pang of jealousy the thought of Sam working on Bumblebee's wires evoked. As a plane began flying overhead, Barricade had to raise his voice to be heard.

"I am grateful to you for doing this routine, essential, but low-level maintenance for me. Perhaps I could ask you to keep it up while we can still be friends?"

"Barricade!" Sam cried, which was the only warning he received as a shadow passed over them, and then the F-22 that had just passed over flipped and changed, landing directly in front of them.

"Well _done_, Barricade, you have captured the filthy little fleshling who lost us the AllSpark." Starscream said to Barricade. He reached out his hand.

"Give him to me, I shall destroy him _myself_ for humiliating us, and _personally_ deliver his body to that Autobot who is supposed to be his protector. However, I shall make his death as slow and painful as possible." He reached out."Hand over the fleshling child, Barricade, _no-one _humiliates Starscream and goes unpunished."


	9. Chapter 9: Size Isn't Everything

Code Of Honour

Chapter Nine

Size Isn't Everything.

Sam went so pale he looked almost white.

"Oh no." he whispered. "Oh nonononono! Oh _shit!" _

For a moment, Sam thought that Barricade was going to hand him over in spite of his promise to defend Sam. Starscream was twice Barricade's size, and looking very menacing. Sam felt Barricade's grip shift slightly, then Barricade placed Sam on the side of his knee. "Get behind me, this could get violent." he said to Sam, very quietly. Then, he turned his face back towards Starscream, and said "No. I will not."

"You dare to defy me? I am your leader!" scowled Starscream, as Sam scrambled lower and dropped off Barricade's leg.

"I swore to repay any life-debt on our most sacred oath. This fleshling saved me from others of his kind who sought to destroy me. Now, I must defend him."

"I am sure you did, but you are a Decepticon first, and _I_ am your leader. Are you _really_ going to set yourself against me, Barricade?" asked Starscream.

"I would _never_ have thought to defend him before, but I am bound by what I agreed to by that oath." Barricade stated. Starscream frowned.

"I am bigger than you are, and I am a flyer. I could obliterate you without a second thought, Barricade. I _already_ know you were more loyal to Megatron than you were to me. Now you defend Megatron's murderer?"

"You were _always_ scheming to overthrow Megatron, and would have killed him yourself to take over if you'd had the chance." growled Barricade. "Sam is a warrior just as I am, and he did what he felt he had to at the time, it was also self-defence on his part, as Megatron, from what I heard, was trying to kill Sam. You or I, faced with that, may have done the same thing." 

Barricade sneered at Statrscream. "You have no greater claim on my loyalties than the boy does." Starscream chuckled.

"You won't attack me, Barricade, you _know_ you'd lose" Then he abruptly raised his firing-arm to point at Sam.

He never got to fire.

Sam dodged, and Barricade moved at the same time, springing at Starscream and grabbing his arm, as his body's momentum made Starscream stagger backwards. Starscream reached down to try and pull Barricade off, but Barricade had already jumped aside, still holding the arm. Starscream used his height as leverage, standing to try and throw Barricade off his arm, but Barricade held on.

When he _did_ drop off, Starscream was mid-swing and not expecting it, and almost overbalanced. 

In the meantime, Sam was watching, and was worried. _Someone _was going to get hurt, and he was worried that that someone was going to be Barricade. He speed-dialled Ratchet.

"What is it, Sam?"

"No time to explain, but someone's gonna need your help pretty soon. Locate us from my signal and get here quickly, please!" Then Sam had to turn his attention back to the battle, for if Starscream was able to defeat Barricade, he'd have to get away pretty quickly.

Sam supposed that he should be getting away while Barricade kept Starscream busy, but run to where? He was miles from home, and all Starscream would have to do was pursue and bomb him to eliminate him. Also, he was concerned for Barricade. No, Sam decided, he was safest here, for Ratchet by now should be on his way.

Then Sam noticed that Barricade was not losing. He was moving around, and Starscream was wasting energy trying to keep track of him. Barricade was keeping him busy enough to keep him off Sam, but trying to use his speed and size to his advantage. _'I guess size doesn't always matter.' _Sam thought. '_Barricade's using being small and quick to outsmart Starscream's size and strength.' _he thought.

How long, though, could Barricade keep it up?

Barricade himself answered that question by feinting to one side, and as Starscream moved that way to counter him, actually attacking from the other side, going for his vulnerable back. Sam saw Barricade's hand impact on the right shoulder-side of Starscream's back, his wing in jet form. He saw the claws puncture the armour, saw Barricade flex his hydraulic joints and rib down and in down Barricade's wing, gashing it. 

Starscream cried out, and Sam saw him collapse, clutching at his shoulder.

"Okay, I'll leave your human pet alive, just don't hurt me anymore! Don't take away my ability to fly!" he cried. Sam saw Starscream lean forwards, saw the yellow fluid spilling from one of the gashes.

Sam knew, that in a human, fluid loss like that could be fatal, and his next actions were instinctive.

He ran over to where Starscream was now lying face-down, and reached into the gash, working his hands in till he found the damaged tubing. He made a fist of each hand on the torn ends, which did not stop the flow entirely, but slowed it considerably. Starscream whimpered, and glared up at Sam, but didn't struggle or speak.

"What are you doing? He just tried to kill you. Leave him to die, Sam, you owe him nothing!" Barricade said.

"What, let myself be like him, without care or compassion? I can't do that, 'Cade. I have to try and help somehow."

That is what Sam did, holding on to Starscream's torn tubes until Ratchet turned up, five minutes later. He clamped off the tubes, offlined Starscream, and mended him there and then, calling Bumblebee to take Sam home, as Barricade's obligation to Sam was over, although he swore that he would try not to harm Sam if they met again in the future.

"Anyway, it is better if I re-online Starscream rather than Ratchet have to do it. With _me_, he'll think twice about attacking me. I'll wait till Ratchet is safely away before I do so." He looked at Sam. "As a sort of friend when possible, I at least owe you that."

"Thanks, 'Cade." said Sam, as Bumblebee started his engine. Sam yawned, looking forwards to getting to his bed.

It had been a very long day.


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

Code Of Honour

Epilogue.

Sam was woken by a screech of a jet engine, and Bumblebee's alarm going off.

Then: "Sam! Run! It's Starscream" Bumblebee shouted.

"Calm down Autobot, I wish only to _talk_ to your fleshling charge. I won't hurt him." Starscream said. He crouched so his face was on a level with Sam's window.

Sam got dressed and opened his window, and crouched on the windowsill. He wasn't entirely convinced of Starscream's promise, but he didn't want to refuse, and then have Starscream punish Bumblebee for Sam's recalcitrance. He had a feeling Stasrscream would have loved _any_ excuse to kill Bumblebee.

"What do you want?" Sam asked, in no mood to be diplomatic-especially as it was 7 AM on a Sunday morning and his parents were demanding outside his room to know what was going on.

"To thank you." Starscream said, to Sam's surprise. "Barricade tells me that the Autobot medic said that your actions in stemming the flow of coolant from my wing saved my life." Starscream looked down, seeming almost _embarrassed_, Sam noticed.

"Okay, you've thanked me, now _piss off_!" Sam said, looking down at where Starscream's feet had destroyed his Dads patio, path, and churned up half of his lawn. He cringed. "Dad's gonna go _ballistic_ when he sees what you've done to the garden! So's Mom, and she's got a temper." 

"They'll have to put up with it." said Starscream. "I believe Barricade explained the significance to my people of what he called, for your simple organic processors to understand, the "Code of Cybertron?"

"Yeah…?" said Sam, wondering just where this was going. 

Starscream looked at the ground again. Again, Sam thought Starscream looked embarrassed.

"Well….I swore the same Code to the same conditions. You saved my life, I must repay that debt, just as Barricade did. Don't worry, I'll find a way to fit in this area in front of your house."

Sam felt dizzy.

"You _are_ kidding, aren't you?" he whispered.

"I am not." said Starscream.

Sam's last conscious thought was 'Barricade was able to explain a Police car on the lawn, but how will Starscream explain the presence of a bloody _**F-22 jet?' **_

Then he fainted, and Starscream put his hand in the window and caught him before he could hit the bedroom floor.


End file.
